Impulse
by Gage39
Summary: The true history of Impulse/Bart Allen and what role the Pied Piper plays in it.


Impulse

The first sound that he can ever recall hearing is music. He's not entirely sure if it's real music or something that his Uncle created but either way he likes it. The first thing that he remembers seeing is Uncle playing the flute, surrounded by dozens of rats who are peering cautiously at the small human who is unfamiliar to them. Curiously enough his first word is, "Rats," and his first sentence, "Uncle is a rat." Uncle thinks that's amusing and laughs for several minutes before regaining control of himself and re-assures him that he is not a rat. Eventually he learns that his name is Bartholomew which he thinks is the worst name ever even when Uncle tries to convince him that Hartley is worse. Bart isn't inclined to agree but doesn't want to anger Uncle so he stays quiet.

When Bart is four he accidentally runs through the entire base in less than a second. It is then that he realizes that he is different from Uncle and asks Uncle about it. Uncle is quiet then tells Bart a story about a man who could run faster than anyone else in the world and that he died a long time ago and Bart is his son. Bart says that Uncle is his father so the fast man is his grandfather. Uncle looks like he wants to object but Bart ignores him and asks what grandfather looked like. Uncle brings out his scrapbook and tells Bart stories about a man called the Flash and the epic battles that he used to fight against his Rogue Gallery. Bart focuses on one of the Rogues and suddenly realizes that it is Uncle! Uncle was a Rogue? So cool.

When Bart is seven Uncle starts training him. Uncle might not have been a speedster but he had dedicated several years of his life to taking one down so he knows a trick or two. He also lets Bart start watching what he calls 'news footage' of the Flash so that he can better harness his abilities. But what Uncle doesn't know is that Bart devotes most of his energy to watching the Rogues, more specifically Uncle. He decides that he likes the Uncle in the footage best because he looked so much younger and happier and didn't have scars on his face.

When Bart is ten he stumbles upon the horrible truth that Uncle had tried to keep from him; Bart is a clone. When confronted Uncle admits, rather unhappily, that one day, after the war was over and everyone dead, that he had stumbled upon a place called Cadmus and found a baby clone of the Flash inside. Impulsively (because he was feeling sorry for the baby) Uncle had rescued the baby and raised him as his own. He hadn't told Bart, he said, because there was no need. Bart was his baby and no one could say otherwise. Bart is a little upset but understands Uncle's reasoning so he forgives Uncle.

When Bart is eleven he runs around the entire world just to see if there was anyone else. He comes back with tears on his face as he tells Uncle that everyone is gone. The only ones left are Uncle, the rats and himself. Uncle pats him on the head and plays a soothing lullaby, one that makes Bart feel not as sad anymore.

When Bart is twelve Uncle begins talking about going back in time to fix things. Bart's not sure that he wants that because he would probably wind up being a bad guy and he doesn't want to find Uncle. But Uncle says he can take care of that and Bart does owe Uncle a lot and he really wants Uncle to be happy instead of spending hours at a time crying or talking to the dead man that used to wear blue and orange. So he nods and offers to help. Even with all of their expertise and Bart's speed it takes them several months to finish the time machine and by then Bart is thirteen. He spends his birthday playing with the rats and watching old movies with Uncle and tries not to be sad.

Uncle tells him not to worry; that as soon as he's fixed things then he come right back if he wants and they can wait together to see if anything changed. But Uncle is crying to and somehow Bart doesn't think that he is going to come back. His suspicions are pretty much confirmed when he sees Uncle packing Bart's things and hiding them in the time machine. When it's finally time to go Uncle gives him a hug and the scrapbook and says to give it to Grandpa Len because he would know what to do with it. Bart hugs Uncle back and then he leaves.

He arrives in the middle of one of Flash's battles against the Rogues and enjoys the look of surprise on everyone's faces when he climbs out of the time machine. There is stunned silence and then Flash asks who he is. Bart is quiet and thinks for a second. He thinks about Grandpa Flash who died a very long time ago and about Uncle who raised him and when he answers his voice is proud and haughty. "Bartholomew Allen Rathaway but you can call me Bart."

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A/N: Hope you guys liked! Please read and review! Oh and a new chapter of 'The Rogues' should be posted later tonight, not sure when as I haven't even started writing it yet.

A/N/N: Should this just be a one-shot or should I add more chapters? Please let me know!


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